The Long Run: Marathon Training Schedule Adjustments

Subtitled: Marathon Training Cycles are Like Children and Should Not be Compared. And this one needs an adjustment!

Thank you to April, Patty, and Erika for hosting this recap running post! (It isn’t the full year in review, but it does encompass a lot of my year in a nutshell. For more on my full year, see yesterday’s post!)

I am telling myself! I’m getting my infusion done today, and, as we know, I tend to get a bit reflective when that is on the agenda. Don’t worry, this isn’t a super deep post, but it is aimed at putting into practice some of my resolutions from yesterday, as well as looking back on the past 7 weeks (since my last infusion). Also, I am sorry for my nonrunning readers! Come back for some great food tomorrow, or look back at my Year in Review from yesterday! And last few days to enter my Manna Organics Giveaway!

By all accounts, I have been having a pretty lovely past 7 weeks, and I won’t dispute that fact! I am fortunate to be in overall good health, surrounded (either in person, by phone, or by blog/internets) by people that I love and that at least pretend to put up with me, and not to have too many things to fret about.

But today? I want to fret a little bit about something that is totally insignificant in the long run, but is pressing a little bit on my mind at the moment. Ie, the Monkey Wrench in the Ointment. Or a Need to Adjust my Marathon Training Schedule.

I have strained my calf. Not the muscle itself (like the gastrocnemius) but the soleus at the insertion point–essentially the direct center of my calf (from all directions). I woke up with a definite strain Sunday morning, and though I rested like a champ (ie biscuit-sat and ate everything in sight (as I continued to recover from the long run the day before)). I have had this problem before, but the last time was the beginning of April. I think that this is all tied to my ongoing glute-activation and thus hamstring issues, and so likely also tied to the hamstring annoyances of the first two weeks of the month.

Oh. Hello. You know how sometimes you just have to say something to have it make sense. Well, it just clicked.

I was going to say that I thought this was all tied to changes in movement patterns (less yoga, more running, less just walking around, treadmill usage) related to winter as well as the fact that I haven’t had the best GI cycle since my last Remicade (immediately got GI bug, then weeks of weird eating, traveling, and having some unmentioned on the blog gastro… um… things (NO MOM IT IS NOT AN EMERGENCY JUST GAS). Sorry, I was going for vague but when you have Crohn’s and a mother who loves you, well, that is just how it has to be. I had 3 count-em 3 emergency bathroom stops on my run on Saturday. And that night, I was incapacitated with gas-cramps. Worst in a very long time. Just wanted to be up front.

Anyways. Over the past 7 weeks, I have been noticing a bit of a pattern–increasing mileage goes very well for me in that week but then things fall apart in the week after. I have found this bewildering–I am running so well in my Newtons that I just bought 2 more pairs. Then I ran in one of my new pairs on Saturday, and things were magical (the stomach was the issue, but my body felt FANTASTIC). I have felt so strong on my runs, like I can take over the world.

I was really feeling amazing. Like, “girl, you got this, make this your biatch” amazing.

But then I have these setbacks. Like, high mileage week awesomeness then out of nowhere must-rest-because-of-strain issues.

So I am retoggling a bit. In an effort to get to the starting line (in exactly 2 months) healthy (but obviously not wealthy or wise, hello) and happy, I am going to apply my concepts of exploration and seeking balance/equilibrium. I have strayed a bit from the path, and now I am going to return to it, in a sense.

Dial back mileage a little bit, get more spinning in, more yoga, and probably will do some workouts in my Ravennas, which will take some of the pressure off my soleus and achilles. I need to work on my hamstrings and insertion points, work on my activation and strength. So, the tentative plan (body willing),

This week: work on endurance and pick up on the bike (which will not affect my calf), slowly incorporate plantar flexion exercises back into my daily life, massage.

This weekend, because I have an awesome visitor: go for a short run on the lake front. Next week I will reassess.

First weeks of January: Strength, plyo, jump rope (for the plantar flexion) in doses, adding back in running but working on strength

Last weeks of January: get back up to peak mileage

Second weekend of February: hit peak mileage and fly to PITTSBURGH

After that, taper out.

Additional notes:

I need to remember to not compare my marathon training cycles. Here is your Suz Metaphor for the Day: A Marathon Training Cycle is Like a Child. You can’t compare them–some will be perfect, some will be rebellious. But regardless, you do your best.

Decrease my mileage back to being solidly in the 30s. I don’t need more than that. It isn’t going to help me more than it is going to hurt me.

Get my eating back on point. I have been having a ton of fun, but now is the time to get a bit serious.

YOGA and rolling once things are feeling better.

After the marathon, it is time for a well deserved break for my body. And this time, I really mean it. I have worked hard, I had accomplished much, but I have to remember that I am both normal and abnormal, and both types of people need to rest.

If I accomplish my goal of a BQ at Phoenix, I will be ecstatic. But you know what? If I don’t, I am ok. Either way, I am living beyond anyone’s expectations of what a body with Crohn’s can accomplish.

Welcome to Suzlyfe

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Suzlyfe is a Chicago-based healthy life, fitness, running, and food blog that aims to educate, connect, and inspire: educate readers in an accessible way about fitness, running, and wellness; connect readers to myself (Susie) and others with the same interests and passions; and inspire all to live a life beyond expectations.Email Me

Though I am a RRCA Certified Running Coach and NASM Certified Personal Trainer with a chronic illness, a physician husband, and a lot of experience, and though I may seem like a know it all, please remember that all views expressed on my blog are mine along. Consult your physician before making any personal changes to your mental or physical health and wellness programs.